


Suspicion

by writelikeitsgoingoutofstyle (twoandahalfslytherins)



Category: Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: Canon Era, I think I squished time a bit much, M/M, somewhere between Maria & The Room Where it Happened
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-29
Updated: 2016-01-29
Packaged: 2018-05-17 01:38:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,108
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5848945
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/twoandahalfslytherins/pseuds/writelikeitsgoingoutofstyle
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Aaron doesn't typically consider himself a suspicious man, just a careful one.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Suspicion

Hamilton was plotting something.

Which wasn't unusual, what was strange was that the man was being quiet about it. Alexander was never quiet, even if the sound was the scratching of his quill rather than the incessant nattering that usually filled any room he was in. Yet the man had barely spoken a word since they'd entered the courtroom, had even allowed him to lead the cross-examination and final summaries. What he said was still eloquent, though perhaps more succinct than usual, and Aaron knew he shouldn't be looking a gift horse in the mouth but it was rather hard not to be suspicious.

To not be curious.

It was that curiosity that led him to lay a hand on the other lawyer's shoulder after they had left the courtroom, trying to bite offense when he jerked under the contact. "I was wondering if you'd be interested in collecting your thoughts about the case over drinks?"

An offer that Aaron had been the recipient of more than once, though he usually turned the other man down. Perhaps it was that fact that caused Alexander to stare at him wide eyed before nodding once and disappearing down the hall. It took Aaron a moment to follow, but when he did he found Alex outside waiting.

Even once he was standing next to the man, it took Alex a moment to find his words, "You didn't specify a location."

Aaron inclined his head. "I was thinking my home, that way we might speak more freely. Shall we walk together or catch a coach?"

There was no snort of laughter, no raised eyebrow at his mention of speaking openly, two acts that would have followed any other day of the week. Instead, Hamilton had nodded to the multiple choice question before setting off walking in the direction of Aaron's house.

As if that wasn't suspicious. The man didn't even slow down the entire way there, moving with a quickness Hamilton usually reserved for chasing down Jefferson or Madison to yell at them on the streets. He moved with such certainty and speed that the crowd seemed to part around him, and Aaron casually strolled behind, still trying to figure out what exactly Alex's game could be. Especially to have not seemed pleased at the offer for a drink. Did Hamilton think Aaron knew something? Was he expecting a confrontation and just hoping to get it out of the way?

Hamilton didn't complain when Aaron arrived at the house minutes after him, simply stepped out of the way so that Aaron could open the door and then followed him mutely into the parlor. Aaron nodded towards a chair for Alex to sit before moving to the kitchen, only coming out once he'd acquired two glasses and a bottle of wine.

They chatted idly about other cases for almost an hour, Alex only occasionally throwing his own opinion in and refusing to complain about Aaron's dancing. Usually, the man would live for the chance to scream at Aaron to pick a stance, and yet here they sat with Hamilton saying little to nothing as Aaron defended both sides.

It was Hamilton that finally broached the subject, sounding exhausted, "Mister Burr, Sir, if you wouldn't mind getting to your point, I would be much obliged."

"I'm not sure what it is that you're implying, my friend," Aaron responded because it wasn't as if he could just openly accuse the man of plotting something- no he needed Alex to slip up.

Something that Alex didn't appear interested in actually doing. "Then you won't be offended if I take my leave?"

"Of course not, my good man," Burr said, biting back a twitch, "I understand that you must be wanting to get back to your pretty wife."

Oh, wasn't that interesting. He hadn't even been attempting to land a barb and yet Alex had frozen mid rise, lips tightening. "Is all not well in the Hamilton household?" He tried.

"My wife is upstate with the children," Alexander answered, shaking his head slightly before straightening, "on vacation."

Which didn't explain Alexander's distress over the issue, not unless it wasn't a choice for the two to be separated. "And you couldn't find time to join her?"

The noise Alex made was strangled. "I should be going."

"You should be staying, " Aaron found himself saying, "If you have no reason to rush home," and then because he really didn't want the man leaving just yet, not until he'd found out what he needed to know, "I'm worried about you, my good man."

Hamilton was staring at him with a look that wavered between open suspicion and the desire to relieve himself of a burden, and Burr simply tilted his head. "Come on, sit back down. Enjoy another drink and tell me of your worries. You shan't have to worry about anything going past these walls."

It was true, Aaron didn't want to gossip about Alex, he just wanted to know what it was that had the man acting so strangely. In the unlikely event that he wasn't plotting something, then something was happening, and either way, it was probably a good idea to know. If only so that Aaron could try and prepare to avoid the possible fallout. Things with Alexander did have a habit of getting so messy after all.

After the bottle of wine had been replaced with another, and Aaron was beginning to worry that the man intended to take advantage of his companionship but never give Aaron what he was after, Alex finally began to speak. "My wife has been upstate for a while. I turned down the chance to join her because of the debt plan."

That made sense, it was amazing, after all, that the man continued to practice law while juggling his responsibilities as Secretary. "I have heard word of that."

"Then you know it's going terribly. Jefferson and Madison want every last detail documented and still seem determined to stonewall me."

Aaron nodded. "Madison is your real political player there, though if appeals to your former friendship aren't enough- Jefferson's pride might even be larger than yours."

Not that he was giving Alexander advice, simply stating the facts.

"I shall revel in the knowledge of your good opinion of me, as it is the only one there is to be had." There was something biting about the statement, though it didn't appear to be directed at Burr so much as at himself.

It was a risk, something Aaron was usually against taking, but he pursued the possible thread. If it turned out he was wrong, then well, they had managed to work their way through a second bottle of wine- he could hardly be blamed for his misstep. Not when Hamilton made them so often, with and without inebriation.

"And your opinion of yourself?"

Hamilton's lips tightened marginally. "There is no fondness to be found there."

"Perhaps a confession would do your soul some good?" It was almost careless, throwing it out so directly, especially when Alexander has been so quiet, but Hamilton only nodded.

Another long moment, and Aaron did his best to betray no ill will as the other man examined him, perhaps looking for a sign of deception or intent. Whatever it was that Alexander saw, he leaned back in his chair and took a final sip of his drink. "Are you offering to be the priest or throwing the gauntlet for a duel?"

The statement seemed to be of humor though Aaron could not be sure. "You know my stance on dueling."

"So priest it is." Alexander murmured, suddenly looking anywhere but Aaron, "Have you a curtain to hang? Isn't there supposed to be some sort of barrier between us?"

Aaron didn't move, and Hamilton chewed on his lip before dropping the train of thought and moving on. "A young woman visited my home the other day, in a state of distress. I lent her a small sum and helped her back to her home."

Of course, he did though nothing he'd said so far explained Alexander's strange behavior. "That was good of you."

"So good of me that she invited me to her bed."

Oh. "And you?"

"Allowed myself to be led."

That would explain the guilt and self-deprecation, though not his near silence in the courtroom. Could an affair really be the reason that Alexander had been acting so strange? Or perhaps it was the compounded stress of having to deal with the debt plan, try to sway the Virginians, and having stepped out on his wife? There was a twitch, and Aaron realized a moment too late that the man across from him took the silence as condemnation. A strange expression tainted his face as he stood, a fine shake becoming more and more apparent.

What followed next, Aaron still wasn't sure, even as he stared at the shattered shards on the floor, aghast. Except he couldn't even be irritated at the broken wine glass because the room was filled with the sound of quickening breath- Alexander's eyes unmoving from the red seeping from his palm. The room seemed frozen around them, the only movement Alexander's chest and then there was another sound and Aaron found himself drawn from his seat.

"Alexander, this is most unbecoming," No, no that was the wrong thing to say, because suddenly Hamilton wasn't staring at the gash, but up at Aaron, water brimming at the rims of his eyes, "Come on now. Nothing we can't clean up."

Aaron placed a steady hand on the other man's back, pausing for a moment to ensure that it wouldn't cause another fit before guiding him toward his bedroom. Alex went quietly, cheeks wet as he sat on the bed pushed on his shoulder. He gave the man a final questing look before disappearing, hoping that the man would be still as he gathered the supplies that would be needed to tend the wound.

Hamilton was a surprisingly easy patient, though Aaron had no doubt that the behavior was more shock than disposition. Aaron dipped one of the rags that he'd collected into the water bowl, using it to clean the wound as he knelt in front of Hamilton. It was a position he wouldn't have dreamed of being in in a million years, and it felt stranger than the man's silence the past week or so. Once he was sure that there were no small pieces of glass imbeded in the gash picked up a bandage and began the process of wrapping the man's hand, trying to be careful to wrap it neither too tight or too loose, focusing on the act rather than the strangeness of the small intimacy.

Bandage secured he lingered still, finally look up at the man- only to let out a sound that most definitely not a squeak when Alexander seemed to fall forward. At least, it was better to call it falling rather than acknowledge that it had been intentional. Hamilton landed on his knees, though he didn't flinch at the impact, more focused on pressing himself forward still- crowding Aaron until Burr had no choice but to try and move backward.

Too late, because Hamilton had already managed to knock him off balance and Aaron belatedly was grateful it hadn't sent the bowl of now bloodied water spilling across the floor. A little less appreciative that his head had made such a sharp sound knocking against the wood as Hamilton partially covered his body with his own. He knew he should be offended, but there was something so child-like about the act, something so innocent, that Burr couldn't bring himself to snap.

They laid there for a while, Alexander's head on his chest and Burr's arm carefully placed around the shaking back until the other man had calmed enough that Burr felt safe enough to speak. "This is most undignified, you realize?"

A small 'mhm' sound was all he got for his troubles.

"And rather uncomfortable. If you're going to demand to be held like a babe, the least you could have done was allowed it to happen somewhere else."

Alexander rubbed his cheek against his chest, and Aaron crinkled his nose, though whether at the presumption or the fact that his vest was likely ruined he wasn't sure.

When he did speak, Alexander's words flirted with a dangerous line, "If I'd have dragged you onto the bed you would have worried about your virtue."

Damn him, if Aaron didn't feel unable to answer the query or deny it, instead settling for a long sigh and a quiet, "Better my virtue than your sanity."

**Author's Note:**

> I had a request for h/c after a panic attack and .... this is what happened.


End file.
